Midge Spencer

Veteran
Summer excavations 2016 & 2017

As a veteran and a post graduate archaeologist, Midge got a whole lot out of his experience at Waterloo Uncovered. “I love archaeology, I have a degree in it! But due to my illness I haven’t been able to do it for 6 years now. That’s because my depression has been very bad and meant that I really closed myself away from people. I’d just sit at home staring at walls”, he explained. “Two weeks ago, I wouldn’t have been able to speak to you like this. Being around people really frightened me, but everybody has been so nice and understanding. I felt more relaxed than I have in a long time and I believe it’s a privilege to be here. I will never forget the people here for giving me this wonderful opportunity and helping me in some way to see the world differently, despite the issues that I have. I locked myself away from the world and I know that that’s not healthy so this has made me feel so much better. I’ll be forever grateful for that”.

Following his experience on the 2016 dig, Midge has begun his dissertation to finish his MSc at university of Southampton. And in 2017, he returned to the summer excavation as both a veteran and a student, to work on his dissertation, which is of course about Waterloo!